Next instrument for me...

[tfarny]

....is not going to be a warmoth - either a resonator, a semihollow bass, a banjitar, or a lap steel. I was set on a resonator but now I'm having second thoughts. Anyone here play the banjitar / gitjo? The selling point is that you don't have to learn anything new in order to play it, but I'm sure there's got to be some picking technique involved to get it to sound right. The other issue is the band I'm in has no interest in anything Americana / rootsy, but a cool light semihollow 32" bass would make a great second bass to toss around. The Douglas below is one of the Rondo / SX family that gets a lot of love for being cheap and playable. New electronics and a nut, and good to go?

Lap steel is going to happen one day but I know it's a whole big learning curve.

 

[SlingBass]

A lot of fans, and even a well attended club of the SX (same as the Douglas) basses over on the TalkBass forum.  I tried one of their 5-string Jazz knockoffs to see IF I might adapt to a 5er. I returned it within a week - fail.  Seems there are quite a few players of the instruments you have pictured, and at those price points...what can you loose  :dontknow:

 

[rockskate4x]

guitar chords with banjo strings never sound quite right. not a fan of the banjitar. You seem keen on keeping six strings (the bass being the exception) so my votes for the resonator. I love playing normal guitar on a resonator, and I'd definitely be encouraged to play more slide stuff if I had one.

 

[bbl4ck]

Yea, I think that I would like playing around with a resonator and it would surely force me to work on my slide.  Plus, there are some really cool lookin' resonators out there.
However, that bass looks really cool as well!
Heck, why not one of each...  :headbang1:

 

[imminentG]

I vote BANJO or LAPSTEEL.

That sharp learning curve will do great things for your GUITAR playing

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

I vote resonator. 

 

[nathan a]

The learning curve on a regular ol' 5 string banjo is not that steep really, provided you are somewhat comfortable playing in alternate tunings (namely open G). Even if you don't have chord names or fingerings memorized, as long as your brain is cool with some chords being in SLIGHTLY different places, then banjo really isn't that tough. The picking patterns are difficult to figure out, but simple guitar-style fingerpicking and careful strumming works just fine on banjo while you learn.

 

[Schlieren]

Even 4-string banjo is pretty cool...

Banjo gets my vote, because it almost requires of you to learn fingerpicking, which would open up new worlds in any fretted playing (from Nick Drake to Earl Scruggs to Johnny Marr)... I imagine that it's a lot like learning how to play all over again; that's a good thing.

 

[blue313]

I'm also thinking resonator.  They can be played straight 6-string or Dobro lap style.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7862521551496148702&ei=Lps3S5_nMoH8qAOMxPXfDg&q=dobro&hl=en#


I have nothing against the banjo persay, I just think its a completely different animal in comparison.

 

[tfarny]

I'm also pretty tempted by this but can't afford it at the moment.

 

[blue313]

I saw Jack Casady demo one of those in a Dan Erlewine video.  I really liked the warm low impedance tone.

 

[OzziePete]

I vote resonator. 

+1. resonator.